Dumping sand pump



May 12, 1925.

F. SWAN DUMPINC- SAND PUMP Original Filed July 5. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l juvcnlot May 12, 1925.

F. SWAN DUMPING SAND PUMP Original Filed July 3. 1923 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 3n 041410: FFedJwan.

Patented May. 12, 1925;.

UNITED STATES FRED SWAN, OF MARIET'I'A, OHIO.

DUMPING SAND PUMP.

Application filed July 3, 1923, Serial No. 649,340. Renewed April 3, 1925.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED SwAm-a citizen of the United States, residing at Marietta, in the county of lVashington and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dumping Sand Pumps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to sand pumps for use in drilling wells for the purpose of removing from the bottom of the well the material broken down by the bit or other drilling tool, and has for its object to provide a sand pump from which the contents of the pump cylinder may be automatically dumped. A further object of the invention is to provide means by which a sand pump may be used to introduce water into a drill hole and to automatically release it at the bottom of the hole.

It is common in drilling wells to use a bailer for removing the material broken down by the drilling tool, having a dart valve at its lower end that is a gravity valve having a rod or dart extending downward from it so arranged that as the lower end of the dart strikes the bottom of the well hole, the valve will be lifted to. permit inflow of the water carrying the broken down material, and as the bailer after being withdrawn from the well is lowered into the dump pit and the dart strikes the bottom of the pit, the valve will be lifted to dump the contents. only so much of the broken down material as will flow by gravity into its lower end, the quantity so taken in being limited by the amount in the well hole the inflow necessarily filling the bailer only to the level of the imaterial in the hole, and the material being further limited to such of it as will readily pass the valve opening. In order to'remove enough of the broken down material to permit drilling to be resumed under proper conditions often requires repcated lowering, raising and dump- 'mg of the bailer. And the broken-down material which flows past the valve often settles in the bailer and becomes so nearly solid as to make it difficult and even impossible to open the valve in the dumping operation.

A sand pump may by the suction of its But a bailer takes in piston draw into the pump cylinder a .much larger quantity of the broken-down material than will flow into a bailcr and will draw in material which would not flow past the valve of a bailer and will empty. the drill hole to the required extent in one or two operations when many more operations of a bailer would be needed. But the dum ing of the contents of a sand pump has been found to be a matter of considerable difficulty. In the sand pumps in use the bottom valve is retained in position by a lock or catch which must be released by hand to permit of the dumping of the contents of the pump cylinder. lock or catch it is necessary for a workman to get close enough to the lower end of the sand pump to make use of a hand tool and it is practically impossible for him to get out of the'way of the discharge of mud which takes place as soon as the release is effected. For this reason sand pumps are not used when broken down material can be removed by a bailer or otherwise, even if repeated lowering,,raising and dumping operations are required, and sand pumps are, in practice, used only Where nothing 'else will do the work.

\Vhere the bottom of the hole is dry it becomes necessary to introduce water to en'- able the drilling tool to operate efi'ectively. Water cannot be poured in fromthe top without risk of injury to the walls of the drilled hole. The ordinary bailer with the dart valve will discharge water at the bottom of the hole until the water in the hole and the water in the bailer are at the same level, but as soon as the bailer is drawn up In order to release the sufficiently to raise the lower end of the dart from the bottom of the hole, the valve closes by gravity and the outflow of ,water stops.

It is the purpose of my present invention to provide a device which will have the ad-T vantages of the sand pump as regards filling the cylinder by suction and drawing in broken down material which has settled into almost solidity and pieces of material which would notreadily pass the valve of a bailer-arid will have the advantages of the bailer as regards automatic dumping of its contents, and will be superior to the bailer as regards certaint of dumping under all conditions and to urther provide a device charged.

by which water may be introduced at the bottom of the drilled hole and the entire contents of the With the objects above indicated and other objects hereinafter explained in view, my invention consists in the'construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed. x

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of said pump bailer embodying my invention.-

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of the sand pump bailer shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the sand pump bailer shown in Figs. 1 and 2, showing it in dumping position.

Fig. 4 is aside view of the sand pump bailer arranged for discharging water at the bottom of a drilled hole.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the pump cylinder having the usual head 2 with the usual annular teeth or "corrugations 3 at its upper end to enable the pump to be gripped by a fishing tool and having below the head openings 4 for escape of air or water forced upward by the upward movement of the piston 5 which is carried by piston rod 6 and is of the usual lift pump piston construction having openings and upwardly opening valve 7.

At its lower end the pump cylinder has secured to it a shoe 8 in which is carried the valve seat for the inlet valve. So far as concerns the pump cylinder, its head, the piston and piston rod, the construction is that of the usual sand pump used in drilled wel1s,- the invention of the present application relating to the devices carried in the shoe 8.

The upper portion of the shoe 8 is a cylindrical tube adapted to fit and be secured onto the lower end of the pump cylinder. This upper portion extends downward as shown at 8' on one side of the center and terminates in feet 9 and 10 having a. re-

latively wide notch 11 between them. The

upper portion of the shoe is cut away to receive a hinged member 12, having arms 13 and 14: fitting at their upper ends into recesses 15, circular at the upper ends, formed in the upper portion of the shoe and carried by pivots 17 and 18 arranged in these recesses. The ends of these armsl3 and 1a are rounded to correspond with the circular upper ends of the fecesses 15, but the pivots 17 and 18 are so located that the rounded ends of the arms are not in actual contact with the upper ends-of the recesses. The pivots 17 and 18 are arranged in the upper portion of the shoe out of line with the axial line of the pump cylinder, so that the hinged member 12 will, by reason of the weight of its lower portion 12, tend to swing inward to bring its lower portion against the lower portion 8 of the main portion or fixed mempump cylinder thus dis-' her 8 of the shoe, to form with it substantially a true cylinder. The outer face of the lower portion 12 of the hinged member is cut away to form an inwardly tapering face 20 extending from a point 21 downward and terminating in :a foot 22 corresponding in shape to the feet 9 and 10 and so arranged as to be opposite the notch 11,'but of less length than the feet 9 and 10, so that when the feet 9 and 10 are resting on the bottom of the well the foot 22 will be an appreciable distance above the bottom so that the weight of the pump cylinder and its contents will be sustained by the feet 9 and 10, and in case the pump is dropped onto the bottom of the well the impact will be received in these feet and not on the foot 22.

The arms 13 and 14 are received in recesses so formed in the outer face of the fixed member that their outer faces are within the lines of a true cylinder, and the heads of the pivots 17 and 18 are received in counter sunk recesses so that their outer faces are within the lines of the cylinder.

' On the inner face of the portion 8 of the fixed member is found a ledge 23 adapted to receive one side of a ring 24 which forms the seat for a valve 25. This ring 24 is secured to and carried by the hinged member 12,the arrangement being such that when the hinged member is in closed position, which is its normal position, the ring 24; rests on the ledge 23 and fits against the interior of the shoe forming a substantially tight joint therewith. The valve 25 is pivoted on the portion of the ring which fits against the inner'face of the portion 8 of the fixed memberits free end being towards the-hinged member. A substantial distance below the ring 24 on the inner face of the hinged member 12 is an inclined lug 27, and in the portion 8 of the fixed member are formed holes 28 adapted to receive the pivot of a valve operating device hereinafter explained.

30 indicates the base of a dump form adapted to be secured in the bottom of the dumping pit in the ine of movement of the lower end of the pump when it is lowered fOTl dumping after being drawn up from the we 1. post 31 of somewhat conical form having its upper end adapted to receive the shoe entering between the feet 9 and 10 of the fixed member and the foot 22 of the hinged member.

As shown in Fig. 3, the-post 31 is so formed that its upper portion is at a relativel acute angle to its axis, its sides sprea ing gradually towards the periphery of the base. An upwardly extending ridge 32 surrounds the base 30, and within this ridge are found perforations 33.

In the use of the device as a sand ump it is lowered into the well until the eet 9 This base 30 carries at its centre a and 10 rest on the well bottom. On drawing up the piston the mud will be drawn in through the lower end of the pump, the valve 25 lifting to permit it to enter, the

notch 11 between the feet 9 and 10 and the i with the well hole into line with the usual opening in the derrick floor leading to the dump pit, and lowered. As'the shoe at the lower end of the'pump cylinder comes in contact with the post 31, the upper end of this post entering between the feet 9 and 10 of the fixed member and the foot 22 of the hinged member and, by the wedging action due to its taper, forces the hinged member away from the fixed member and, as the hinged member carries with it the valve seat ring 24, this ring is drawn away from the ledge 23 leaving an opening through which the contentsof the pump'cylinder flow out quickly. The pump is lowered until the feet 9 and 10 rest against the peripheral ridge 32 by. which further lowering of the pump is prevented. When the feet 9 and 10 thus vrest against the ridge 32 the hinged member is, by the spreading action of the post 31, swung away from the fixed member so far that the ring 24 offers practically no obstruction to the free discharge of the contents of the pump. Because the foot 22 is shorter than the feet 9 and 10, it will not come into contact with the ridge 32 and the hinged member will thus not be subjected to shock in the dumping operation. I

On drawingthe pump up from dumping position, the hinged member drops back by gravity into closed position carrying the valve seat ring 24 back into position. The hinged member being tapered as shown at 20, the device will readily enter the upper end of the casing even if the two members are not tightly closed together, and the members will be forced together as this inclined face 20 enters the casing and is lowered to be again filledgas before.

When it is desired to supply water to the bottom of the well in order to enable the drilling tool to do effective work a tripping device adapted'to be operated as it strikes the bottom of the hole is added to the device above described for the purpose of releasing the water with which the pump cylinder has been previously filled,and locking the valve in open position.- Thetripping device comprises an upright rod 4041 carried at the center of ahorizontally arranged bar 42 having one end carried on a rod 43 having its ends in holes 28, in the fixed member 8.

The other end of the horizontal bar bears against the inner face of the hinged member 12 immediately below' the inclined lug 27. When in this position the lower end of the portion 41 of the vertical rod 40-41 extends below the plane of the lower ends of the feet 9 and 10, and the upper end of the upper portion 40 bears against the under face of the free end of the valve 25and against the inner face of the valve seat ring 24.

The hinged member being in closed position with the valve seat ring resting on the ledge 23 and the tripping device being in the position just described, the pump cylinder is filled with water through the openings 4 and lowered into the casing. When the device reaches the bottom of the hole the lower end of the portion41'of the rod 4041 strikes the well bottom and is arrested and as the downward. movement of the pump cylinder continues, the free end of thehorizontal bar 42 acting uponthe inclined lug 27 forces the hinged member outward. This moves the valve seat ring 24 away from its normal contact with the inner face of the fixed member 8 sufficiently to permit a substantial leakage which increases as the movement continues. At the same time the upper end of the portion 40 of the vertical rod 4041 acts against the valve 25 near its free edge to swing it upward. As the horizontal bar 42 swings on the axis of rod 43, the upper end of the portion 40 as it is moved upward swings towards the pivot of the valve 25 and at the same time the valve itself with the valve seat ring moves away from the fixed member. By reason of this movement the valve is raised and at the same time the valve seat ring is moved away from contact with the ledge 23 the contests of the pump cylinder flowing out freely through the two openings thus afforded. As soon, however, as the end of the bar 42 passes the upper end of the inclined lug 27 the hinged member is free to drop back into, or towards, closed position and in this movement the upper edge of the lug 27 engages the lower edge of the horizontal bar 42 locking it in horizontal position with the end of portion 40 of the vertical ro holding the valve 25 in raised position. The

valve is thus locked in open position so that as the pump cylinder is drawn up-its entire contents will flow out and be left at the bottom of the well. After the lower end of the pump cylinder has been raised above the upper end of the casing the hinged member may be readily swinig out sufficiently to release the end of the horizontal bar 42 from the lug 27 and permit the tripping device to resume its initial position and permit the valve to close.

The tripping device may be readily put in place when wanted and readily removed. I

When the device is to be used for introducing water at the bottom of the well. the piston should be drawn up to the upper end against the head 2 above the openings 4 so that the water may be poured in through these openings.

\Vhile in the construction shown the shoe is formed of a fixed member and a hinged member and this is the preferred construction of pump cylinders of diameters up to 8 inches, both members may, if preferred, be hinged to the portion of the shoe which is secured to the lower end of the pump cylinder.

The post 31 of the dumping form acts to separate the members in lines substantially at right angles to the vertical axis of the pump cylinder and, necessarily, at substantially right angles to the line of pressure, instead of as in the operationof dumping a bailer by lifting a valve directly against the weight of the contents of the bailer which by settling may have become almost solid. Consequently the resistance is much less and, by reason of the wedging action of the post, the effective force is greater. Therefore the posts will be moved with certainty sufiiciently to afford a substantial opening and unless the contents of the pump cylinder have become very nearly solid they will flow out. and in case they have become too solid to flow out their movement may be started by hammer blows on the outside of the shoe while it rests on the dump form as shown in Figure 3.

Having thus described my I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described,

invention, what a hollow cylinder adapted to be raised and lowered in a well hole provided at its lower end with means for carrying an upwardly opening valve comprising oppositely arranged members adapted to together form a.

cylindrical tube, one of said members being so hinged to the other on an axis at right angles to the axis of the cylinder that its lower end may be swung away from the lower end of the other member, and a valve seat provided with a valve and carried by the hinged member adapted to fit against the interior face of the said other member when the hinged member is in closed position.

2. Tu a device of the character described, a hollow cylinder adapted to be raised and lowered in a well hole provided at. its lower end with means for carrying an upwardly opening valve comprising oppositely arranged members adapted to together form a cylindrical tube, one of said members being so hinged to the other on an axis at right angles to the axis of the cylinder that its lower end may be swung away from the lower end of theother-member, a valve seat provided with a valve carried by the hinged member and adapted to fit against the inner face of said other member when the hinged member is in closed position, and means carried by said. other member for supporting said valve seat.

3. In a device of the character described, a hollow cylinder adapted to be raised and lowered in a well hole provided at its lower end with means for carrying an upwardly opening valve comprising oppositely arranged members adapted to together form a cylindrical tube, one of said members being so hinged to the other on an axis at right angles to the axis of the cylinder that its lower end may be swung away from the lower end of the other member, a valve seat provided with a valve carried by the hinged memberv and adapted to fit against the inner face of said other member when the hinged member is in closed position, means carried by said other member for supporting said valve seat, and means for swinging the lower end of the hinged member outward to move the valve seat away from said other member to permit the contents of the cylinder to be discharged.

4. In a device of the character described, a hollow cylinder adapted to be raised and lowered in a well hole provided at its lower end with means for carrying an upwardly opening valve comprising oppositely arranged members adapted to together form a cylindrical tube, one of said members being so hinged to the other on an axis at right angles to the axis of the cylinder that its lower end may be swung away from the lower end of the other member, a valve seat provided with a valve carried by the hinged member and adapted to fit against the inner face of said other member when the hinged member is in closed position, means carried by said other member for supporting said valve seat, and means for swinging the lower loo end of the hinged member outward to move 1 the valve seat away from the other member to permit the contents of the cylinder to be discharged, consisting of a conical wedge so arranged that the lower end of the cylinder may be so lowered onto it that it will enter between the lower ends of the two members to separate them.

5. In a device of the character described, a hollow cylinder adapted to be raised and lowered in a well hole provided at its lower endwith means for carrying an upwardly opening valve comprising oppositely arranged members together forming a cylindrical tube, one of said members being fixed to the hollow cylinder and theother member being so hinged to the fixed member on an axis at right angles to the axis of the cylinder that its lower end may be swung away from the lower end of the fixed memher and a valve seat provided with a valve and carried by the hinged member adapted to fit against the inner face of the fixed member, the hinged member being provided opening valve comprising oppositely arranged members together forming a cylinv drical tube, one of said members being fixed to the hollow cylinder and the other member being so hinged to the fixed member on an axis at right angles to the axis of the cylinder that its lower end may be swung away from the lower end of the fixed member'and a valve seat provided with a. valve and carried by'the hinged member adapted to fit against the inner face of the fixed member, the hinged member being provided with upwardly extending arms having their endspivotally secured in recesses formed in the outer face of the fixed member above the line of the valve seat, said members hav- ,ing legs extending downward below the line of the valve seat.

7. In adevice of the character described, a hollow cylinder adapted to be raised and lowered in a well hole provided at its lower end with means for carrying an upwardly opening .valve comprising oppositely ar ranged member's together forming a cylindrical tub e, one of said members being fixed to the hollow cylinder and the other member being so hinged to the fixed member on an axis at right angles to the axis of the cylinder that its lower-end may be swung away from the lower end of the fixed member and a valve seat provided with a valve and carried by the hinged member adapted to fit against the inner face of the fixed member the hinged member being provided with upwardly extending arms having their ends pivotally secured in recesses formed in the outer face of the fixed member above the lineof the valve seat, said members having legs extending downward below the line of the valve seat, the leg of the hinged member being shorter than the legs of the fixed member. i

,8. In a device of the character described, a hollow cylinder adapted tobe raised and lowered in a well hole provided at its lower end with means for carrying an upwardly opening 'valve comprising oppositely ar-- together forming a cylinranged members fixed drical tube, one of said members being to the hollow cylinder and the other member so hinged to the fixed member on an axis at right angles'to the axis of the cylinder -that its lower end may be swung away from the lower end of the fixed member and a valve seat provided with a valve and carried by the hinged member adapted to fit,

against the inner face .of the fixed member, the hingedmember being provided with u wardly extending arms having their ends pivotally secured in recesses formed in the outer face of the fixed member above the line of the valve seat, said members having legs extending downward below the 'line of the valve seat, theportion of the hinged member below the line of the valve seat being tapered from above downward on its outer face.

9. In a device of the character described.

a hollow cylinder adapted to be raised and 'der that its lower end may be swung away from the lower end of the fixed member and a valve seat provided with a valve and carried by the hinged member adapted to fit 1 against the inner face of the fixed member,

the hinged member being provided with upwardly extending arms having theirends pivotally secured in recesses formed in the outer face of the fixed member above the line of the ,valve seat, legs on the members extending downward below the line of the valve seat, the leg of the hinged member being shorter than the legs of the fixed member, the portion of the hinged member below the line of the valve seat being tapered from abovedownward on its outer face.

- 10. A sand pump comprising a pump cylinder adapted to belowered and raised in a well hole, a valved pistonmovable in the cylinder, and an inlet valve at the lower end of the cylinder, and means .for carrying the inlet valve comprising two members so constructed that, in their lower portions each form substantially half of a cylindrical tube, oneof said members being hinged at its upper end to the other member and carryin ranged that when the members are closed together the valve seat fits against the inner face of the other member so as to prevent outflow of the contents of; the pump cylinder and when the hinged member is swung away from closed position it carries the valve seat away from the other member leaving an opening for. outflow of the conthe seat ,for the inlet valve so ari tents, and means for swinging the hinged member away from closed position.

11. A sand pump comprising a pum cylinder adapted to be lowered and raise in a well hole, a valved piston movable in the cylinder, and an inlet valve at the lower end of the cylinder, and means for carrying the inlet-valve comprising two members so constructed that, in. their lower portions each forms substantially half of a cylindrical tube, one of said members being hinged at its upper end to the other member and carrying the seat for the inlet valve so arranged that when the members are closed together the valve seat fits against the inner face of the other member so as to prevent outflow of the contents of the pump cylinder and when the hinged member is swung" away from closed position it carries the valve seat away from the other i: nber leaving an opening for out v of the contents, and means for swinging the hinged member away from closed position commising legs on the said members extendi below the valve seat, and means for wedging the members apart.

12. A sand pump comprising a pump cylinder adapted to be lowered and raised. in a well hole, a valved piston movable in the cylinder, and an inlet valve t the lower end of the cylinden and means for carryin lf the other member so to prevent outflow of onten of the pump cylinder and when D neinber 1S swung; away from closed poslba i it carries the valve seat away n the ot for outflow swinging closed pos member e a dumping said depend apart.

l testin'iony whereof V nature.

r member leaving 21 opening the contents, means for W hinged member away from ion comprising legs on the said iiling lie-lo v the valve seat, and rm adapted to enter between T legs and wedge the members ll hereunto ailix my 

